(Notice all the blades through the box? I’m still in there.)
You may know that I am married to magician Marshall Brodien. Marshall is the creator of TV Magic Cards and Marshall Brodien magic sets. He also played the clown/wizard character Wizzo for 26 years on WGN TV’s Bozo Circus Show.
In our 18 years of marriage, I’ve entertained a steady stream of guests here to see Marshall and his magic, assisted Marshall on stage a couple of dozen times, and have attended countless magic conventions with him. All this magic got me thinking about how it’s influenced me. Here are my top ten ways.
***
Mary Doyle Brodien’s Top 10 Ways You Know You are a Magician’s Wife
You know you are a magician’s wife when:
10. There is a magic museum in your home
9. Your ceilings are decorated with playing cards
8. You act surprised when you see the same trick for the hundredth time
7. You are shopping and notice clothes that would look good on stage
6. You discuss eyeliner and face powders for reducing shine with groups of men
5. Everyone in your household, including the family hamster, is part of the act
4. A romantic dinner out includes disappearing salt shakers and card tricks for the wait staff
3. You’re not opposed to your husband coming at you with swords
2. You look at a box and wonder if you could fit in it
And the number one way you know you are a magician’s wife –
You don’t consider it abusive if your husband ties you up, stuffs you into a cloth bag, and locks you in a crate.
©2013, Mary K. Doyle
(Photos by Stephanie Maurie)
Midwest Mary 
Mary, This was really cute. I liked it.
Thank you. I thought we needed a smile today.
Oh, yes!!!! And then when you are the granddaughter of magicians, you get upset when your legs get too long to fit! Have you seen the DVD of ‘Women in Boxes’ yet? Very interesting. Amazon has it. Gay Blackstone and Dante Larson were a couple of the producers.
I haven’t seen it. I will have to check it out.
I know where you’re coming from here. I spent a few years on the road with Ken and Roberta Griffin back in the 70’s and magic took a forefront to my thinking back then. And yes, I remember Bozo’s Circus from when I lived in the Chicago area in the early to mid-60’s.
This list reminded me of my father and our family. We had a family juggling act and my father was always looking for something new to juggle or a novelty to put into the act.
The show biz brain I guess.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Jugglers are always the favorite at magic conventions. So can you juggle?
Yes, I was part of the Juggling Jacksons, a four person act that was among the best in the business in its day. We were repped for many years by the;Howard Schultz Agency in Chicago. In 1975 I went on my own as a juggler and stage manager for the Griffins for a few years. Then over a decade I managed Philip Morris’s World of Fantasy Players out of Charlotte, NC. Retired from the road in 1991.
Still can juggle though. It’s like riding a bicycle. The juggling theme is my gimmick on my blog, though I don’t talk about juggling all that much.
Lee
Tossing It Out
I checked out your blog and it is very interesting. Good luck to you Arlee.
One thing about being a magician is you will always have lots of excitment and good fun in your life!
It is. My sister says our dinner conversations are better than her and her husband’s about plumbing.
Very, very funny, Mary! Nice job.
Bob Strasser
Sent from Bob’s iPad
I fully enjoy all your posts…I look forward to the next one. This one made me laugh.
Thank you, Marcy. I wish we could have gone up to the UP this past weekend. I miss seeing you.
Very cute, made me chuckle.
Very funny! I read your list in the January 2014 Houdini Gram. I had to find you site to let you know how much I enjoyed it.
Wife of Magic Mike.
Thank you, Heather. I appreciate your time in letting me know. It’s all true, isn’t it?
A few more… You are a good magician’s wife when:
– he says for the millionth time “pick a card” and you try not to roll your eyes.
– he wants another wallet when you know he has six others he’s not using and none will never hold money or his driver’s license but you let him buy it anyway.
– you try to understand the addiction when the words “magic sale” leave him drooling on his keyboard even though you know he hasn’t mastered his last 3 purchases.
– you dutifully save every little scrap of paper or little part you find knowing that it’s probably part of some prop.
– you run across colorful bag or boxes and think “oh that would be good thing to carry his props.”
– you have tried to help him organize his stuff but it defies the normal rules of “like things with like”. This card with that silk and that sword just don’t store nicely.
– you know patter has nothing to do with little feet.
– you know flashing is not a guy in a raincoat.
🙂
We could go on and on, couldn’t we, Heather? Thank you for commenting.
Say happy birthday to marshall, wizzo. Having a bowl of lucky charms for his b day. Lots of the boys here at metra fondly remember wizzo.
I will. Thanks, Mike!